CVE-2025-48752 in process-sync-rs Crate
Summary
by MITRE • 05/24/2025
In the process-sync crate 0.2.2 for Rust, the drop function lacks a check for whether the pthread_mutex is unlocked.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-48752 resides within the process-sync crate version 0.2.2 for the rust programming language, specifically targeting the implementation of mutex synchronization primitives. This flaw manifests in the drop function of the mutex implementation where proper cleanup procedures fail to verify that the pthread_mutex is properly unlocked before attempting to destroy or release the synchronization object. The issue represents a critical oversight in concurrent programming safety mechanisms that could lead to undefined behavior and system instability when multiple threads interact with shared resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate state validation within the mutex destructor implementation. When a mutex object goes out of scope or is explicitly dropped, the system should first ensure that the underlying pthread_mutex is in an unlocked state before proceeding with cleanup operations. Without this verification, the drop function may attempt to destroy a mutex that remains locked by another thread, potentially causing deadlocks or resource corruption. This pattern aligns with CWE-691, which specifically addresses inadequate synchronization in concurrent programming environments, and represents a direct violation of proper resource management practices in systems programming.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource cleanup failures and can significantly compromise system reliability and security. In multi-threaded applications utilizing the process-sync crate, this flaw creates potential for deadlocked processes where threads wait indefinitely for mutexes that cannot be properly released. Additionally, the improper cleanup may lead to memory corruption or undefined behavior that could be exploited by malicious actors to cause application crashes or potentially gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability affects any rust application that relies on the process-sync crate for thread synchronization, particularly those implementing complex concurrent workflows or distributed processing systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-48752 require immediate attention from developers and system administrators. The most effective approach involves updating to a patched version of the process-sync crate that properly implements mutex state verification in the drop function. Organizations should conduct thorough code reviews to identify all applications utilizing this crate and ensure proper version updates are deployed across their infrastructure. Additionally, implementing defensive programming practices such as explicit mutex unlocking before object destruction can serve as a temporary workaround. Security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and consider implementing runtime checks that detect abnormal mutex states. The vulnerability highlights the importance of adhering to ATT&CK framework principles for system hardening, particularly in the area of privilege escalation and resource management, where improper synchronization can create attack vectors for more sophisticated exploits.